Amigo
by Checkmate 24601
Summary: You'll know you're Hitsugaya Toushirou's friend if you become an exception.


**A/N **I thought of having the title as 'Hakuna Matata' but that might have been pushing it. Haha. XD

**Amigo**

"I'll see you around, Hitsugaya-taichou!"

"Hai. … Don't stress yourself out, Ukitake."

Then, a small white-haired figure left the Thirteenth Division with a taller white-haired Captain gazing fondly from the porch of his bureau.

Kotetsu Kiyone bit her lip in consternation. Should she ask-

"Something on your mind, Kiyone?"

The blonde girl blushed as she slowly raised her eyes to meet her Captain's expectant ones. _Ukitake-taichou is just __that__ great to know what his subordinates are thinking about. _

The female shinigami's flush deepened as her Captain looked expectantly. _He's waiting for me! Baka Kiyone!_

"Ano…Ukitake-taichou…how do you put up with Hitsugaya-taichou?"

"Put up?"

Kiyone wanted to slap herself. "I meant no disrespect, taichou! It's just … Hitsugaya-taichou is so…cold…"

A gentle familiar laugh broke Kiyone out of her depression.

Ukitake smiled, brushing tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Oh Kiyone, you just need to know what to look for."

"Like what?" a puzzled frown furrowed the young lieutenant's face.

"Exceptions. Hitsugaya-taichou makes exceptions for the people he cares about."

"Exceptions?"

Ukitake Jyuushirou smiled absently into the distance. _Ahh, the captain-prodigy Hitsugaya Toushirou…_

_Such a multitude of paradoxes in one person. _

_The stature of a child contradicted by the seriousness of his character, the most freezing of dispositions contrasted by the rare moments of gentle consideration and kindness, and of course, … the mantle of coldness of a loner broken only by … his exceptions. _

Shinigami can gossip and exaggerate the rumours of Hitsugaya's cold discipline and demeanour all they want, but they never see the moments that matter, and the mini Captain's gentleness. Towards a crippled captain with permanent mild tuberculosis afflicting his lungs, the wielder of Hyourinmaru allowed the adult's propensity to shower him with sweets.

But it was Hitsugaya's kindness in particular towards women, which everyone never seems to take note of.

_Not all women_, Ukitake admended. _But his chosen few, whom he deemed important to protect with his life. _

There was indisputably Hinamori Momo, fifth division fukutaichou, and the rumoured crush of the tenth division captain's heart. Allowing her to call him 'Shiro-chan' despite his urge to be acknowledged by his proper title as captain and sharing slices of cold watermelon with her are two of the most basic examples. Kira Izuru can testify how enraged with madness Hitsugaya was in battling Ichimaru Gin simply because Hinamori-chan's hands bled from gripping her zanpakutou too tightly when fighting Hitsugaya. Towards Aizen, Hitsugaya had been merciless, filled to the brim with killing intent and self-loathing in his inability to protect Hinamori. Unohana Retsu can affirm his depression in the weeks following Aizen's betrayal of Soul Society when Momo was in a coma.

Then there was Matsumoto Rangiku. For all of Hitsugaya's grumblings about his vice-captain's laziness in terms of finishing her paperwork, and for all of the well-endowed bosom beauty's whining about how strict and "uncute" her Taichou could be, he is strongly appreciative of her loyalty and steadfast belief in him. Very few people knew that Hitsugaya, despite telling off Matsumoto about stashing her sake bottles in a secret compartment of his desk, had never confiscated her supply of liquor. It was a display of his trust that while she may enjoy herself in drinking, _she_ would decide when is her limit to stop. And so far, Matsumoto Rangiku had never betrayed that trust _and there does not appear any future intention to_.

But most curiously was the latest addition to the pint-sized taichou's list.

"Toushirou-kun!"

Ukitake snapped his head up in surprise. _How could he forget? Ichigo-kun's group was visiting Soul Society today._

Brown eyes took in an unnameable shade of hair flow in the wind as the owner stood in the middle of a street and energetically waved her hand at the smaller captain.

Hitsugaya looked with fond exasperation at the human girl who so kindly provided him with a roof over his head during the run up to the Winter War before turning to walk in her direction.

Ukitake smiled.

A truly unexpected person who broke through Toushirou's impenetrable barrier of ice.

After all, even Hinamori-chan and Ichigo-kun were still reprimanded from time to time to call him 'Hitsugaya-taichou', but the same had not applied to Inoue Orihime. She is the only person so far who is allowed to call him "Toushirou-kun" and gets away with it scot free. The former female ryoka had, by hearsay, healed Toushirou's injuries during his stay in the Human World as well as successfully persuaded the adamant taichou to do things his age, such as visiting the arcade, going to the beach and watching movies with her and Matsumoto.

_It is early days yet, but if Toushirou ever finds his heart broken by Hinamori Momo, there might just be someone whom he can rely on to repair his injury of First Love. _

With that final thought, Ukitake turned away from the porch of his office with the image of Orihime chatting joyfully away with Hitsugaya, who had a rare small smile on his lips.

**A/N **It was time for another HitsuHime fiction. It's been so long since my last one. Ah well, here it is for your reading pleasure.

Of course, I have no ownership of Bleach or any of its amazing characters (who appear to be dropping like flies in the newest chapters of Tite Kubo's manga – Kubo if Kuchiki Byakuya does die without revival by our dear Hime, many fans will most likely be sworn off Bleach, and that's not a joke. Keep your hands of Death off Toushirou as well. That's all.)


End file.
